One of the most widely used personal hygiene devices is known as a shower. Such showers are provided in virtually all bathrooms in private residences, public hotel facilities, health clubs, spas and gymnasiums. While the physical makeup of showers vary somewhat, all typically include a bath tub area, a shower stall or a cubicle within which a supply of water is available. Typically, the force and temperature of the water spray from a fixed or a removable handheld shower head is adjustable by the user to suit their needs. The user adjusts the water spray to their personal preference and stands beneath the spray for washing and rinsing of outer body areas.
Shower facilities typically include an overhead spray source which is usually adjustable as to force and spray pattern. Variations are provided in the form of pulsating sprays for massaging applications or the like. In some shower facilities the shower head is an easily detachable handheld spray head that permits the user to direct the spray to various body areas.
Despite considerable variation of showers, the rectal and genital areas of bathers are often not effectively cleansed. Proper hygiene and sanitation in these body areas is important for overall body health. A variety of ailments and diseases are effectively minimized or eliminated if users properly maintain hygiene in their rectal and genital areas. Conventional fixed shower heads simply do not provide the required spray pattern and direction for proper rectal and genital area hygiene. Handheld sprayers are a definite improvement over fixed shower heads but are most often too large and clumsy and usually fail to allow proper access to rectal and genital areas for maximum cleansing effectiveness. This is most often the case for those with physical limitations such as obesity, arthritis, stroke limitations, post surgical rehabilitation, some senior citizens, persons with mobility and flexibility issues, and other physically limited or handicapped individuals.
Accordingly, there remains a continuing need in the art for improved personal hygiene shower devices which are suited to maintaining and cleansing the rectal and genital areas especially for those with physical limitations and or handicaps.